Page 34 of Whiskey Kisses

“You okay, Evie Knievel?” I ask carefully.

“Do I look okay?” she grumbles, tossing her purse aside and flopping face-first onto the couch. “I had a shit day.”

I glance at the clock. “Yeah, you’re home pretty early.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you get fired,” she says. “No, not fired. Forced to go on vacation. Indefinitely.”

A car rumbles past. I glance out the window to the sandy street, watching the neighbor’s red junker struggle by. “Why?”

“Because Daddy called my boss and told him I was having a mental health crisis, though I doubt he used such politically correct terms.” She huffs, rolling her eyes. “So stupid! I could kill him.”

“It is pretty fucking ridiculous,” I agree. Evie doesn’t need a job anymore, but I know how much she values her independence. She might’ve been living on her dad’s property up until last night, but I have no doubt she could’ve gotten another place if she wanted. Now, though, she’s lost both. “He’s punishing you. Probably trying to show you he’s in control, too.”

Evie rolls onto her side, tucking her legs in. “But what does that accomplish? Am I supposed to be like, ‘oh, you know what? You’re right, I’ll divorce Tristan and marry Cole and ruin my life just so you can continue fucking over your family and your business and everything tied to your name!’Ugh.”

“Yeah, he’s nuts.” Chuckling, I pull my phone from my pants. Time to figure out dinner. “So, there’s this seafood place?—”

“Why was Timmy magically outside Callista’s today?” she interrupts, squinting suspiciously at me.

“Because he’s been keeping an eye on you in case there’s trouble.” I sit on the coffee table across from her. “Kind of like today, although this wasn’t the kind of trouble I was thinking about.”

“You have your friend following me around?” she asks, confused. “Maybeyouneed to be careful, but I’ll be all right. I grew up here and everybody knows me.”

“We’ve talked about this, Evie. Things will be volatile until the distillery takeover is complete. And maybe after.” Resting my elbows on my knees, I lean forward. “You’re my wife.”

Her eyes widen, and she blinks rapidly. “I—I know that.”

“Then you also know that puts you in a precarious position. There are people who won’t like that you chose me over them.” I search her eyes, needing her to understand, but she drops her gaze. “But I take care of what’s mine.”

Evie sucks in a sharp breath, her face blooming into another one of her famous blushes.

I sit back, satisfied I’ve made my point. “Now, about dinner?—"

“Tristan.” She groans, covering her face. “Can you not think about your stomach for five minutes? You are always hungry!”

“Do you know what my daily calorie expenditure is, woman?” I pound my chest for emphasis. “I run four miles every day, and I’ve been working out at Phoenix Rising. This body doesn’t keep itself.” Also, I tend to be ravenous on the days I don’t take my meds.

“Must be nice. I haven’t been to jiu jitsu in days.” She yawns, closing her eyes. “Guess I’ll have plenty of time to go now, though.”

“Are you in the mood for seafood? There’s a place down by the waterfront I was thinking about,” I murmur, back to my phone’s restaurant list.

“I’m in the mood to lie here,” she says dryly.

“That’s what you get for day drinking, Evelyn,” I taunt.

“Whatever. Don’t we have a whole kitchen full of food?”

“Yeah, I guess,” I say. “Want me to make chili?”

One eye pops open. “You know how to make chili?”

“Hell yeah, I do. Salad and garlic bread, too, baby,” I say, standing. “You’ve never had better, I promise.”

“Sounds good. Wake me up when it’s ready.” She rolls over to face the back of the couch, but not before I catch yet another blush. Why’s it so easy to mess with her? You’d swear she was a virginal debutante.

And why does it appeal to my baser nature?

A text lightsup my phone, glowing in the near darkness of my bedroom.

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